


Guardians (Legal or Otherwise)

by kiite



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Angst, Crocs, Fluff, Kisses, M/M, Scars, blanket cocoons, guitar playing, huggin, more sad dads :(, sappy nicknames, trans headcanons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-03-21 03:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13732530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiite/pseuds/kiite
Summary: Collection of short Guardianshipping works.





	1. Wound

**Author's Note:**

> here's where im gonna post all my guardianshipping drabbles that are under 1000 words and dont specifically fall into my "Blackbirds and Beeforce" series :^D

Crow knew he was dying. You didn’t get shot three times and live to talk about it; not in the commons.

There was no one else out on the street at this time of night. The night was quiet, save for the distant roar of cars and the occasional d-wheel. Behind him, a trail of his own deep red blood glittered in the moonlight, filling in the cracks between the cobblestones like veins. Crow noted that the sky was unusually clear of clouds and pollution tonight. Had he not been most certainly dying, Crow might have even called this a nice night.

The next few events happened rapidly and in a very confusing manner. Crow remembered opening the door to the home he and Shinji shared, the same door he’d opened many times before, and then he was lying on the floor, the scratchy bristles of the carpet rubbing against his bare arms. He vaguely registered the sound of Shinji speaking desperately to someone. When he rolled his head to the side, he could see that Shinji was holding the home phone close to his face, his posture tense and afraid. After a short while, he slammed the phone down on the table and ran into the kitchen.

Exhausted, Crow turned back to face the ceiling. He heard Shinji’s hurried footsteps as he rushed back into the room, first aid kit in hand. He kneeled beside Crow and removed a long strip of gauze, preparing to start bandaging some of his wounds. Crow shifted his gaze over to Shinji, who wasn’t looking back at him, focusing all his attention on wrapping the gauze around his body. His face was twisted into a pained expression, barely holding back tears. His hands were shaking as he methodically unraveled the roll of gauze. Crow, with all the strength he could muster, asked quietly, “Are you mad at me?”

For the first time that night that Crow could recall, Shinji looked him directly in the eyes. “Am I mad at you?” he asked, his lip quivering. “I’m not _mad_ at you, I- I’m fucking pissed. You’re bleeding all over my carpet. You idiot, do you know how long that’s gonna take to get out? And tomorrow- you’re supposed to cook dinner tomorrow. You promised the kids. Do you really think I can learn how to make yakisoba on such short notice?” His hands started to shake even more, and some of his poorly restrained tears started slipping out.

“A-and when the kids graduate high school, you have to be there, ‘cause I’m gonna cry like a baby every time, and you need to be there to put a hand on their shoulders and tell them they did good. And then, once the kids have moved out and started their own lives, w-we’re gonna move out of city and build a little cabin in the woods and watch birds all day and not worry about anything. I can’t build a cabin alone, Crow, and I sure as hell can’t watch birds all day alone, because I don’t know any of the names- you do.” Shinji was crying openly at this point, barely able to choke out his rambling words through his tears. “I-I can’t do it alone, Crow. Any of it. I need you, I really, really need you. Please don’t go. I love you Crow, the kids and I- we all love you so much. P-please don’t die on me, Crow. Please.”

At this point, Shinji deteriorated into a mess of tears and pleading, clutching Crow’s shirt as he bent over him. Lifting his arm was no easy feat with how heavy he felt, but Crow managed it. He slung his arm across Shinji’s back and pulled him closer to his chest, taking heaving breaths from the effort of the simple act. Shinji looked up at him, his whole body trembling as he laid his head against Crow’s chest. Crow gave him the best smile he possibly could, realizing there wasn’t much more he could for the man he loved so much.

“I love you too. I’m sorry.”


	2. Surprise

“Hey Shinji~”

Shinji looked up from his book over to his husband, who was leaning on the doorframe, an unmarked bag in his hand. Crow was grinning, a devious look on his face as he looked at Shinji. Once he knew he had Shinji’s attention, he sauntered over to the couch where Shinji was lounging and continued.

“While I was out today, I picked up some…” he leaned close to Shinji’s ear as he whispered the next words. “…special apparel.” Shinji felt a chill go through him at the feeling of Crow’s breath on his ear. He was aware that his face was turning fairly red, and Crow’s scandalous expression only deepened. “What do you say I go…  _try it on?_ ”

Shinji was so flustered that the most he could manage was a nod. Still smiling, Crow leaned in to give his husband a kiss on the cheek before moving to their bedroom playfully and shutting the door. Deciding that trying to read again was a pointless endeavor, Shinji placed his book on the table and attempted to calm himself down. Crow had a habit of working him up in the best way possible.

After a few minutes, Crow called out from behind the closed door. “Alright, I’m coming out!” Crow announced in his most sultry voice. Shinji turned towards the door, resting his arms and chin on the back of the couch. It was another thirty seconds before Crow threw the door open dramatically, leaving Shinji to look him over.

At first, Shinji was unable to determine what Crow had actually changed into. His classic blue headband and earrings were still present. His shirt, jacket, armbands, and gloves also remained. Even his belt and pants were the same. It wasn’t until Shinji looked to the floor that he realized…

Oh no.

Instead of his signature olive boots, Crow was sporting a pair of garish, bright orange Crocs. The color was even brighter than his hair, which was impressive. Shinji, unable to figure out how to properly respond to the situation, simply stared at the offending shoes wide eyed. His face was red with a different kind of embarrassment now.

Crow, on the other hand, was reveling in the response to his prank. He was doubled over in laughter, occasionally trying to start a sentence before he would see Shinji’s expression and start laughing all over again. Eventually he was able to compose himself enough to wheeze out a simple “So what do you think?”

Shinji, still reeling from the severe mood whiplash he has experienced in the last few minutes, couldn’t formulate a proper response. Instead, he asked, “W…Why did it take you like four minutes to put them on?” Crow’s grin only widened when he heard the question, and he moved closer to the couch where Shinji was currently paralyzed. He put one his feet up on the edge of the couch cushion to the left of Shinji.

“Take a closer look!” Crow said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. Shinji didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t what he got. In about half of the holes dotting the top of the Crocs, there were small charms (which Shinji vaguely recalled being called Jibbitz), each one different, but all depicting bees. Some were cartoonish, some were realistic, some were stylized. Shinji pressed his hands to his face to hide his immense embarrassment that he knew his husband would revel in.

Crow started another laughing fit, managing to wheeze out some phrases between gasps. “Those little fuckers don’t go in the holes very easily… So I spent a lot longer trying to get them in than I planned.” He moved his hand to his face to wipe away some joyful tears in his eyes. “Shinji, babe, honey, I wish you could’ve seen your face. It’s like, the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. Oh my god. I love you so much.” Crow flopped down on the couch next to his husband and slung his arm around his shoulder.

“I hate you.” Shinji mumbled from behind his hands, but clearly with no malice. Once a few moments passed, Shinji lowered his hands, having calmed down and his face having returned to an acceptable color. “I can’t believe I got so fucking flustered over  _Crocs_ …”

Crow slapped his husband’s back good-naturedly, grinning broadly. “I thought it was cute.” he said teasingly. He hummed thoughtfully. “But if you’ve had enough excitement for today…” Crow moved his arm around Shinji’s torso and pulled him closer, whispering into his ear again. “…then I guess I don’t need to show you what I picked up from  _Victoria’s Secret._ ”

Shinji found that he no longer cared about the redness of his face this time as he followed his husband into their bedroom.


	3. Favor

Crow realized his mistake only after he stepped out of the shower. He had moved to get dressed after toweling off when he had come upon a most unfortunate situation. After thoroughly searching the cabinets and coming up empty-handed, he tied a towel tightly around his waist and moved to the living room.

This was not the first time Crow had made this mistake, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. Grabbing the home phone, Crow plopped down on the couch and punched in Shinji’s cell phone number. He stared at the ceiling as the dial tone sounded, waiting for Shinji to pick up. He refocused himself as Shinji answered after the third ring.

_“Hey babe, what’s up?”_  Crow could easily pick up on Shinji’s joyful tone, likely happy to have a distraction from working. A sly grin worked its way on to Crow’s face.

“Good morning, sweetie… The love of my life… My lovely honeybee…” Crow drawled, making hand motions he knew Shinji could not possibly see. He heard a stifled laugh on the other end before Shinji replied.

_“Crow, not that I don’t love hearing you call me those, but I know you well enough to recognize your ‘I need a favor’ tone of voice. What do you need?”_  Shinji’s voice was gentle and playful, willing to listen.

Crow did his best to sound apologetic. “You know I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t have to, but with the Blackbird in the shop and everything…” Crow shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. “I may or may not have forgotten to pick up tampons after I ran out last time. And I may or may not have just taken a shower without realizing I was out. Do you think you could pick some up for me, my sweet? My boyfriend? My _lover?”_

Shinji was not able to hold back a little burst of laughter this time. _“Fine, fine. Just don’t call me ‘lover’, it sounds creepy. I’ll head to the store now, just don’t get blood on anything, ok?”_ Crow could feel the exasperated smile in his partner’s voice as he thanked Shinji and hung up the phone. Despite the predicament he had found himself in, Crow found himself grinning broadly. Now that his current problem was mostly solved, it left him plenty of time to think about how to repay Shinji for the favor.


	4. Melody

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one could technically fit in the 5ds au cause theres like a very minor mention of a 5ds character but whatever

“Do you play?”

Crow’s question brought Shinji back from his wandering thoughts. His boyfriend was laying with his head in Shinji’s lap and looking at him curiously; he was awaiting a response for a question Shinji had missed most of. Shinji blinked slowly, and his confusion must have been written on his face, because Crow reached out and flicked him weakly on the nose.

“It’s rude to zone out during conversations, honeybee.” He poked his tongue out to emphasize his point. “I was asking if you play any instruments. Or like, used to play. You just seem like the kinda dude who would’ve been in a band when you were younger, y’know?”

Shinji laughed at that a little, smiling. “What’s that mean?” he asked, and Crow just waved him off with a dismissive hand gesture. “Well… Sorry to disappoint, but I was never in a band or anything like that. But I guess… I used to play guitar a lot, back in the day. An old acoustic one.“ His thoughts started to wander again, this time towards what had become of that old instrument. Shinji found that he couldn’t remember where it ended up.

Crow’s eyes were sparkling, wide and interested. “Do you still remember how to play? I bet the kids would love to hear you play something.” It was obvious that Crow was using the kids as an excuse, as he was the one who clearly wanted to hear Shinji play. His expression was one of an eager child waiting to hear a story; it was so cute that Shinji was compelled to ruffle Crow’s hair and run his hand through the strands. Crow grinned and leaned his head into Shinji’s hand.

“I could probably still play some songs. The ones I used to play a lot…” Shinji said, with a gentle sigh. It had been years since he’d touched any instrument, but he could still clearly picture where to put his hands and the sounds of each string.

Plus, he’d promise anything he could possibly give to make his boyfriend happy.

* * *

 

“Shinji!! Check out what I got!”

Shinji looked towards the front door, where Crow had just burst in. Crow wore a huge smile, and in his hand he was holding an old guitar by the neck. He quickly crossed the room to where Shinji was sitting at the kitchen table.

“I got it at a flea market for real cheap! It probably needs a few tune ups… but you can play it, can’t you?” He presented the instrument to Shinji, arms outstretched and still grinning. Shinji accepted the gift, studying it carefully.

It had been a few weeks since their conversation about Shinji’s guitar playing, and it had mostly slipped from Shinji’s mind. He certainly hadn’t expected Crow to come home and hand him a guitar. The guitar was old and battered, but still had all its strings and was definitely playable. Shinji had no excuse not to play it.

“Y’know,” Crow said, putting his now free hands behind his head casually, “an old friend of mine plays the harmonica. Y’all could start a pretty shitty two-person folk band.” Shinji chuckled at that, still looking at the guitar.

“What do you want to hear?” Shinji asked quietly, a small smile on his lips. Crow was glowing, clearly pleased by Shinji’s agreement. He pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.

“Whatever you want to play, babe.” Crow replies warmly, resting his chin on his folded hands. The look he was giving made Shinji’s heart pound and his face hot. “I love everything you do.”

Shinji was too flustered to formulate a proper reply at first, opting instead to mess with the tuning pegs. After he decided everything was satisfactory, he settled into an optimal position to play. “Just… don’t expect me to sing or anything…”

He had been correct in the assumption that he would still remember how to play. There were a few bum notes and lots of pauses, but eventually he fell into a rhythm. The song was nothing special; just some melody he had heard a lot in his childhood, meant to be paired with rhyming lyrics. But he played it correctly, and rather nicely.

At some point, Shinji heard Crow hum along with him. He stole a glance up at the other man; Crow’s eyes were closed, his hands framing his face as he nodded along and hummed. He was smiling and peaceful, almost looking as though he was asleep. In that moment, Shinji’s urge to kiss the wild, stubborn, orange haired biker was overwhelming, but he didn’t want to stop playing and disrupt Crow’s peace.

By the time the song was finished, Shinji was smiling gently and basking in a warm feeling. Crow had moved his chair closer to Shinji at some point, and was now leaning his head on the purple haired duelists shoulder. He exhaled softly from his nose and kept his eyes closed.

“Wow… I haven’t heard that song since I was a kid. Brings back memories.” He cracked one of his eyes open a bit and looked up at Shinji. “You’re really good. I mean it, you should play more often. It’s… nice. Really nice.” His sleepy smile made Shinji’s heart flutter.

Shinji turned to his boyfriend and pressed a gentle but loving kiss on to his forehead, right over his marker. Crow just sighed happily, settling in against Shinji. He mumbled a quiet “love you” into Shinji’s neck. Shinji let his own eyes close as well, the tension leaving his body as he relaxed into the wooden chair. “Love you too, babe.”


	5. Apology

Two weeks had passed since Yuuya’s momentous duel with Reiji, and Crow had seen neither hide nor hair of Shinji. The last time he had seen the purple haired duelist was when Crow had left for Academia with the Lancers; Shinji had encouraged him to go with them, to fight for their new friends. As much as Crow had wanted to participate in the rebuilding efforts of New Domino City, he knew he had to go; Shinji knew it too.

The kids told Crow that in his absence, Shinji had stayed at the house whenever he could and taken care of them. He had helped them cook, clean, and pretty much anything else that needed to be done. Amanda told him that Shinji had even tucked them all into bed every night, though he would probably be mortified if he knew that she was telling Crow this. Crow wanted to thank him, but there was one problem: Shinji was nowhere to be found.

Contact between the two of them had always been spotty at best; usually Shinji would just show up at Crow’s place a few times per week, bearing gifts for the kids. But ever since the Blackbird had returned to its rightful place outside the house, Shinji hadn’t shown up at all. Of course, Crow was worried. But more than anything else, he was hurt.

He had a pretty good idea of why Shinji was avoiding him. The moment Crow had stood in the way of Shinji’s revolution, something in their relationship had changed drastically. As loyal and kind as Shinji was, he was equally stubborn and bullheaded; Shinji was willing to die for what he thought was right. For Crow to tell him that he was wrong, that he was being a fool… Crow was certain that Shinji was still mad at him. All he could do was wait.

* * *

 

Today was the earliest Crow had woken up in a while; the sun was preparing to rise, to paint the reborn city in morning light. The kids were all asleep in their rooms, as they should be. Crow grumbled to himself, perturbed by his inability to fall back asleep. He made his way to the kitchen and prepared a cup of morning coffee in hopes that he could at least shake off the lingering sleep quickly. Just as he was preparing to sit down at the kitchen table, a light knock sounded from the door.

Crow paused, trying to think despite his sleepy state. He set his mug down at the table and began to shuffle towards the entryway. _Who the hell is at my door before sunrise?_ Crow wondered, growing slightly more annoyed by the moment. He yanked the door open, fully intent on giving whoever was there a piece of his mind, but stopped when he registered who it was.

The thought had never even occurred to Crow that it could be Shinji on his doormat, wringing his hands together nervously. His eyes were red and tired as he looked down at Crow, his expression too complex for Crow to pinpoint. For a while, neither of them said anything; they just stared at each other, the silence of the early morning surrounding them. After what felt like hours, Crow gestured for Shinji to step backwards so that he could join him outside.

“The kids are still sleeping,” Crow mumbled groggily, “so whatever we’ve got to say, we should do it out here.” Part of him knew this conversation would probably happen eventually, and he had already resolved to not apologize for his actions. Crow would never apologize for defending the lives of innocent children, regardless of where they came from. He fixed Shinji with the most determined stare he could manage in his semi-drowsy state.

What Shinji did next was… entirely unexpected. Crow had considered many outcomes of this conversation, but this was not among them. Shinji dropped to his knees and planted his hands on the ground, bowing his head apologetically. Crow froze, his expression shifting to surprise and his arms dropping from their crossed position to rest limply at his sides.

“Crow…” Shinji said from the ground, not too loudly but clearly audible, “I really fucked up. I always stand up for what I believe in, and I’m willing to fight for those beliefs.” He raised his head, meeting Crow’s wide eyes. “But for me to raise my duel disk to you, when you were trying to prevent me from hurting others… It was inexcusable. Regardless of how I felt, I should never have been willing to hurt you to achieve my goals.”

“I know I’ve been pretty shitty these last few weeks,” Shinji continued, his eyes sincere, “But I had a lot of thinking to do. It took me way too long to admit to myself that I was wrong, and even longer to begin to figure out how to tell you the same. I… I don’t really expect you to forgive me, and that’s fine, I just needed you to know I realize I was wrong, and in retrospect, I’m so damn glad that you were there to stop me before I could hurt anyone else. I just needed to say… Thank you, and I’m sorry. I won’t come back again, I promise. I’ll… leave you alone.”

Crow just stared at him, eyes wide; Shinji’s words directly contradicted how Crow had believed he felt about the situation. He had no response ready for this turn of events. Forcing himself back into a semblance of control, Crow sighed and gestured for Shinji to stand up, using his other hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Shinji rose slowly, keeping his eyes trained on the ground and his arms at his side.

“You’re a real fool, you know that?” Crow asked quietly, closing the gap between them. He pressed his lips gently to Shinji’s, feeling the other man flinch in surprise before relaxing again. Crow drew back, seeing the taller man wearing the same wide-eyed expression he himself had worn minutes ago. Crow reached a hand behind Shinji’s head and pulled it down onto his shoulder, holding him in an awkward half-hug.

“I spend all this time waiting for you to show up,” Crow whispered into his ear, “and then when you do, you tell me you’re not going to come back? That you’ll leave me alone?” He released his hold on Shinji, who pulled back but kept his focus on Crow.

“Think of someone else for once.” Crow continued in a scolding tone. “How do you think the kids would feel if you stopped coming around? I know you filled in for me as dad while I was away, so don’t even try to pretend like they aren’t attached to you, because you know they are. And how do you think _I_ would feel, really? You’re my best friend, Shinji, and I… I _love_ you, dummy.” For the first time, Crow looked away from the other man, gazing instead at the dazzling sunrise. His face felt hot as he laid all his emotions out in the open. “I forgive you, for everything. Just… Please, don’t leave, Shinji.”

Time seemed to stop entirely for the next few moments, in which neither party moved or said anything. Then, all at once, Shinji threw himself at Crow, hugging him tightly. He was crying now, gasping for breath as he sobbed. Crow wrapped his arms around Shinji’s back, returning the embrace. “I’m s-so sorry,” Shinji managed to say through his tears, “I love you too, Crow. I l-love you so much.” Crow just hummed an affirmation and patted Shinji’s back gently.

The sunrise over New Domino that morning was the nicest it had been years.


	6. Easter

The park was bursting with activity, children shouting and running with baskets in hand. Crow and Shinji stood near a bench, watching as Frank and Amanda helped Tanner find colorful plastic eggs to put in his basket; the young boy was too short to reach a lot of the hidden eggs, and most of the ones on the ground had already been taken.

Crow put his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder, giving him a silly smile. “You never told me you were so good at hiding eggs, Shinji.” Crow said, playing with Shinji’s hair absentmindedly. Shinji laughed, leaning his head lovingly against Crow’s.

“When would I have ever needed to disclose that information?” Shinji asked, still smiling. “I don’t think it’s helpful for like, any other day.” Crow snickered, still twirling one of Shinji’s curls that framed his neck. He enjoyed the nice moment, sunshine washing over his face as he watched his kids gleefully skipping around in their search for treats.

“Oh, before I forget…” Shinji said, pulling away a little to face Crow. Crow looked up at him in curiosity, excited to hear what he had to say. Shinji gave him a mischievous smirk and leaned in a little. “I hid one egg really well; so well that I don’t think any of the kids are going to find it. Wanna see?”

Crow gave him an odd look. “Why would you hide it where nobody could find it?” Shinji just shrugged, still smirking. Crow let out a confused chuckle and agreed to follow him.

Leading his boyfriend at a tree closer to the edge of the park, Shinji pointed upwards to the branches. Squinting, Crow could see a flash of bright orange plastic between the leaves a little above his head. Crow gave Shinji another strange look, who just shrugged, and reached his arm up to grab the egg.

“Well, you were right; nobody was gonna find this one. Should we give it to one of the kids, or hide it again somewhere else?” Crow asked, holding up the orange egg. Shinji shook his head, gently putting his hand on Crow’s wrist.

“I think you should keep that one.” Shinji said softly, smiling warmly. Crow looked at him again, confused and doubtful.

“I’m not a child, Shinji.” Crow said playfully. “I don’t know if finding an egg that I didn’t even really find is all that rewarding. Besides, I don’t even really like chocolate all that much…” He trailed off, still looking at his boyfriend.

Shinji have him a gentle but coaxing look, pulling his hand away from Crow’s wrist. “Trust me, Crow. This one’s just for you.” Shinji looked away in a nervous manner, fidgeting with his hands somewhat.

Crow, mildly confused by Shinji’s insistence and behavior, unscrewed the little plastic egg carefully. Sitting inside on a felt pillow was a golden ring, delicately holding a small peach colored gemstone in place. Crow’s eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at, and he let out a small “oh”.

After Crow didn’t say anything for a moment more, Shinji started to nervously ramble, his words coming out quickly. “It’s, uh— It’s a sapphire. I know engagement rings are usually diamonds, but since sapphire is your birthstone and all, I thought, um—“

“Shinji.” Crow said softly, interrupting the other man’s panicked speech. Shinji looked at him again, cheeks flushed and eyebrows knitted in concern. “Don’t you have something to ask me?” he prompted, giving Shinji a reassuring smile.

Shinji stiffened, realizing that in his anxious state he had missed a key part of his proposal. He dropped down onto one knee, took a deep breath, and steadied himself. “Crow Hogan,” he said, sounding much more composed, “will you marry me?”

Crow kneeled down next to Shinji, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tightly. “Nothing would make me happier, Shinji.” he whispered into his fiancé’s ear.


	7. Morning

Crow was used to waking up alone. The rare days when Shinji stayed the night, he was usually gone by the time Crow awoke; one of his jobs tended to require him to be there before dawn. Crow understood that their work schedules differed, but he still wished that Shinji would be there, even if it was selfish.

Warm sunlight washed over Crow’s face as he blinked awake. Immediately, he was aware of the weight of an arm lazily draped over him, and the warmth of the body curled around him. As Crow craned his neck to catch a glimpse of his partner, he felt Shinji stir softly behind him.

“Good morning...” Shinji murmured, voice thick with sleep. He curled himself a little more around Crow, nuzzling his face into Crow’s mess of orange locks. Crow laid his head back down on the pillow, relaxing his body and enjoying the weight of another person sharing his bed.

“You’re still here.” Crow said quietly, closing his eyes. He arched his back slightly, pressing gently into Shinji, who hummed softly in response.

“There’s no place I’d rather be.” Shinji replied, pulling his head back slightly so his words could be heard. “I wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world, Crow. Not a second of it.” He planted a gentle kiss on the back of Crow’s head.

Crow smiled, sighing happily. He could feel Shinji’s heartbeat, beating in sync with his own; a reminder that he was really here. For a while, they just stayed like that, basking in the warmth of the morning sun and each other.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Crow mumbled, feeling drowsiness overtaking him again. He distantly heard Shinji whisper something sweetly to him before they both drifted back off to a peaceful sleep, relishing in the calm of a morning off.


	8. Snowstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A pre-relationship fic :^3c

Crow tossed a match into the fireplace, watching as the newspaper atop the logs began to catch fire. He grabbed the lantern he had set nearby, cursing the sudden snowstorm for knocking out their power. No power meant no heat, and no heat meant scouring the house for things he could burn to make a fire. Crow was vastly relieved to find that they had a few backup logs stashed away; there was no way he would have been to go to the store in these conditions.

Walking back into the kitchen, Crow saw Shinji sitting at the table with Frank, Amanda, and Tanner. Each of the kids had a blanket wrapped around their shoulders, clutching the edges to pull it tightly around themselves. Shinji was speaking to them jovially, clearly trying to keep everyone in high spirits; he was doing a pretty good job of it, Crow noted. He had walked in in the middle of a joke, and after Shinji’s somewhat painful delivery of the punchline, the kids were giggling and smiling.

Crow smiled as well as he leaned against the doorframe, drawing the attention of the table’s occupants. “Fire’s started.” Crow said quietly, looking at the kids. They jumped up in excitement and rushed into the living room, heading for the couch. Crow turned his attention to Shinji, who was still seated. The other man had moved his gaze out the window, staring distractedly at the curtain of snow. Walking over to Shinji, Crow put his hands on his hips playfully and tapped his foot impatiently.

“Well?” he asked, startling Shinji a bit. The purple haired man turned his attention back to Crow with a questioning gaze. “Are you coming, or what?” Crow prompted, pointing a thumb back over his shoulder into the living room. “They’re expecting us on the couch sometime tonight.”

Shinji looked down at the table, where his gloved hands were loosely folded. There was something hard to pinpoint in his expression; the closest Crow could figure was discomfort, but that wasn’t quite right. Shinji cleared his throat and spoke. “I... I think I should g—“

Crow interrupted him before he could go any further. “Shinji.” he said sternly, putting both his hands on the table, “Right now, we’re in the middle of the worst snowstorm Neo Domino’s seen in a long time. No one’s supposed to be out there right now. What kind of friend would I be if I let you go and get yourself killed?”

Shinji didn’t look up from the table, his face looking a little guilty now. Crow sighed and drew his arms back, crossing them over his chest. “I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” Crow said softly. “But I care about you a lot, Shinji. We all do. Please, stay.” With that, Crow turned around and started to walk to join the kids on the couch, when he felt a hand grab the back of his jacket.

“...Alright.” Shinji spoke very quietly. He looked up at Crow, his face dusted with a blush that seemed too strong for just the cold; Crow didn’t quite understand why he was blushing, but he didn’t ask. Shinji stood up, releasing his grip on Crow’s jacket. “Do you have another blanket for me?”

Crow’s face lit up, and he beamed at Shinji. “Go join the kids on the couch, I’ll be there in a second!” Without waiting for a response, he ran upstairs and grabbed the comforter from his bed, slinging it over his shoulder. When he reached the couch, Crow saw Frank, Amanda, and Tanner all huddled up in the middle, and Shinji on the far left.

Crow plopped down on the far right, swaddling the whole lot of them tightly with the comforter. Shinji let out a startled noise as they were all pulled together, which made them all laugh. The weather outside seemed irrelevant, as it was warm and cozy in their blanket cocoon.

One after the other, the kids began to doze off, until all of them were fast asleep. The fire was dwindling, barely still burning. Crow looked over at Shinji and noticed the man nodding off, but doing his best to stay awake. Shinji always seemed a little tired when he came over, and this environment wasn’t doing him any favors as to staying awake. “Go to sleep, dude.” Crow whispered to him, trying not to wake the kids.

Shinji’s head jerked up and he looked at Crow, then at the fire, and finally back to Crow. “But the fire—“ he began to whisper urgently.

Crow cut him off once more. “I’ll stay awake until the fire burns out.” Crow glanced briefly at the small flame. “It won’t be too long, by the looks of it. You look like you could really use some rest.”

Nodding his head sleepily, Shinji agreed without much protest. He slid down the couch a little, making himself more comfortable. “Good night...” he murmured quietly, already sounding half asleep. “Love you...”

There was a brief moment where neither party said anything, or moved, or even breathed. Then Shinji, realizing his mistake, sat upright and started to apologize in what could best be described as loud whispers.

“Oh my god, I’m— I meant to say thank you, but I— I uh— oh my god, I’m so—“ Without saying anything, Crow leaned carefully over the kids and pressed a gentle kiss on Shinji’s cheek. Shinji stopped, watching Crow carefully with wide eyes.

“I love you too, Shinji.” Crow whispered, his face barely visible in the final flickers of the firelight. “Let’s talk about it in the morning, okay?” He saw Shinji nod slowly before he slipped back into his position, the room falling into total darkness.

As Crow closed his eyes, he realized that he hadn’t thought at all before he responded. He came to a simple conclusion: he had always loved Shinji, but it wasn’t until now that he realized that “love” was the word he was looking for. But assuming that Shinji had come to a conclusion about his own feelings much earlier, a lot of his sometimes erratic behavior around Crow suddenly made more sense. Crow almost laughed as he thought about how frustratingly oblivious he must have been sometimes.

Now, wrapped tightly in the warm embrace of the blanket next to his family, Crow completely forgot about the terrible storm raging outside. The sound of snow pelting the windows and roof faded away, and he focused instead of the gentle breathing of his loved ones. He felt drowsiness creeping up on him, coming easily when he felt so safe. _Sure feels nice to love and be loved_ , he thought to himself.


	9. Candy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another pre-relationship fic ;^3c

Shifting his basket to the other hand, Crow dug out his grocery list from his back pocket and examined it. That should be everything, Crow thought as he stuffed the list back in his pocket. He hefted his basket up a little and headed towards the cash registers.

Near the front of the store, Crow met up with Shinji again, who’d gone off to get things off his own list. He was holding his basket behind him, waving when he spotted Crow. As he approached, Crow peeked around to get a glance into the other man’s basket.

“Do you really need all that candy?” Crow asked, laughing. Shinji blushed and pulled his basket away, looking at the floor. He muttered something too quietly for Crow to hear. “What was that?” Crow asked, already knowing the answer.

“It’s for the kids...” Shinji mumbled, barely audible. His face reddened even more, and he kept staring at the floor. Crow cracked up, slapping Shinji playfully on the back.

“You spoil them, Shinji. And besides...” Crow’s expression was both sincere and mischievous as he leaned in slightly. “...They already like you plenty, Shinji. You don’t have to win them over with treats.”

Shinji looked up at Crow, his eyes wide in surprise, clearly caught off guard by Crow’s comment. He tried to speak, but couldn’t quite think of a good response. Instead, he covered his red face with his free hand and mumbled out a muffled “thanks”.

Crow chuckled, looping his arm around Shinji’s neck in a friendly manner. He pulled the taller man closer, which caused him to yelp. “Let’s check out so you can go bribe our kids!” Crow said with a laugh, releasing Shinji and walking off towards the nearest line.

Shinji smiled, still slightly embarrassed at having his plan exposed, but more so by Crow’s comment. He straightened up and moved towards a shorter line when a sudden realization made him stop. “Wait...” Shinji said out loud, but still quietly. “ _Our_ kids?”


	10. Beauty

“W-wait.” Crow said, grabbing at the hem of his shirt and pulling down. Shinji immediately let go and moved back, concern in his eyes.

“Sorry, was that too fast? Did I mess up?” Shinji asked, worried. His hands hovered nervously over the sheets, unsure of where to put them. 

Crow shook his head quickly. “No, you’re— you’re fine. It’s me.” He sighed, not looking at the other man. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Shinji.”

“Hey, it’s alright!” Shinji cautiously reached out a hand. When Crow didn’t pull away, Shinji took one of Crow’s hands in his own. “We can stop, if you want. That’s fine by me.” 

Frustrated, Crow shook his head again. “No, it’s— I don’t  _ want _ to stop. It’s just…” He squeezed Shinji’s hand, finally meeting his eyes. “I’ve never really undressed in front of anyone before. And it’s not really, uh, very pretty.” 

Without his headband, parts of Crow’s wild, untamed hair flopped over his face. Shinji reached out, brushing aside some of the stray strands with his free hand. He let his fingers linger for a moment over Crow’s markers before moving to cup the side of Crow’s face.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Crow.” Shinji said softly, rubbing his thumb in small circles on Crow’s hand. “But you should know: nothing would ever make me love you less. When I say I love you, I mean everything; scars and all.” 

They sat quietly for a few moments, Shinji holding Crow’s hand and Crow thinking about what he said. “Okay.” Crow said, startling Shinji a little bit. “I’m alright now. We can keep going.” 

Shinji gave him a look of gentle concern. “You sure? I really don’t mind—“ Crow nodded before he could finish, giving Shinji a determined look.

“Yeah. I made up my mind.” Crow declared, giving a slight smile. “If there’s anyone who I want to see this, it’s you. I trust you, Shinji.” 

Shinji smiled back, pulling hand away from Crow’s face. He grabbed the hem of Crow’s shirt once more, and paused. As Crow made no move to stop him, Shinji gingerly lifted the loose shirt up and over Crow’s head.

It was no surprise to Shinji that Crow had scars; he could see the edges of them when Crow wore shirts with low necklines or tank tops. Shinji had a few scars of his own as well. It wasn’t something they tried too hard to hide, but it wasn’t something they talked about often, either.

What did surprise Shinji was the… variety. He ran his hand gently over a few small, raised bumps that he recognized as the telltale marks of being tased for much longer than necessary. There were also a few long, jagged scars that Shinji figured were knife wounds. Some were faded to the point where he could hardly make them out, while one in particular was pretty prominent. The identical, curved scars on the upper part of his chest had also faded quite a bit; those didn’t surprise Shinji, as Crow had already told him about that part of his life beforehand.

There were two things that drew Shinji’s attention more than everything else. One was the large, patchy area of discolored and slightly raised skin covering a large part of Crow’s chest. Shinji had seen the burn scars on Crow’s hands, so he knew they were likely from the same accident. Crow didn’t like to talk about it a lot, so Shinji didn’t know much.

The other thing was a small, strange wound. It sort of dipped into the skin, slightly discolored and not quite smooth. Shinji felt like he should know what it was, but he wasn’t sure. Crow caught him staring and helpfully supplied “gunshot.”

But despite all the scars and marks, Shinji found himself focusing on other details. He traced the outline of Crow’s abs, muscular and well-defined. He spotted Crow’s cute navel piercing, a simple silver ball. Shinji’s blush deepened when he noticed the start of a happy trail, bright orange hairs standing out against Crow’s tanned skin.

“God, Crow…” Shinji murmured, leaning closer to Crow’s face. Crow held his breath, anticipating Shinji’s next words. The last thing Crow wanted right now was pity; he had to hope Shinji realized that. Regardless, he braced himself.

“...You’re so fucking beautiful.” Shinji finished, nuzzling his face into Crow’s neck. Crow just blinked, caught off guard. 

“What?” Crow asked, dumbfounded. That wasn’t what he expected Shinji to say, of all things. Shinji didn’t move, just kissed Crow on the neck.

“You’re really beautiful. The most beautiful man in the world.” Shinji repeated, voice muffled. The taller man partially curled up on top of Crow, laying on him like a cat. “Also, I still have a boner, so like... Sorry about that I guess.”

Crow laughed, a real genuine laugh. He could feel Shinji’s erection pressing into his leg, but he didn’t move. Instead, he ran a hand through the back of Shinji’s hair. “You’re weird, y’know that?” Crow asked, still laughing. “But… thanks. I mean it.”

Shinji smiled, not opening his eyes. “Anytime.”


	11. Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> three very different minifics abt kissin

Crow’s eyes cracked open as he felt the couch shift under the weight of another person. Gloved fingers ran their way through his hair, gently tugging the strands as they went. He closed his eyes again, exhaling loudly through his nose.

“Y’r late.” Crow mumbled, not bothering to enunciate in his tired state. “Stayed up waitin’ for you. Wha’ time is it?”

For a moment there was silence, and Crow considered opening his eyes again to fix the other man with a glare. “It’s three in the morning.” Shinji sighed, regret evident in his voice. “I know I said I’d be back at eleven. I’m really sorry, Crow.”

Crow rolled over, curling up and facing the back couch cushions. “Sorry ain’t gonna cut it...” he muttered, voice muffled by the cushions. Right now, he just wanted to go back to sleep.

Shinji’s weight shifted as he moved. “Will this cut it?” Shinji asked as he turned Crow slightly and planted a gentle kiss on the man’s forehead, right over his marker.

Groaning, Crow forced his eyes open again into narrow, tired slits. “Asshole,” he grumbled, finally meeting Shinji’s eyes. “One of these days, that’s not gonna work on me.”

Shinji just hummed in affirmation as he scooped up his lover, carrying him back to the bedroom so he could get a good night’s sleep.

* * *

Shinji ran. As soon as he saw Crow drop his duel disk, he sprinted as fast as he could, catching Crow just as his knees buckled. Slowly, he lowered himself and the other man to the ground, both on their knees as Shinji supported Crow.

Intertwining his fingers with Crow’s, Shinji looked over his boyfriend. The black and orange robes were tattered and frayed at the ends; Shinji hated them so much, hated everything they implied. Finally, he met Crow’s eyes, fighting back the urge to flinch when he saw the black sclera.

“S-Shinji—“ Crow wheezed out, listing slightly to the side. Shinji righted him before he could fall, holding his hands tightly and trying to blame the tremors that shook his body solely on Crow.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright,” Shinji said, struggling to keep his voice even and calming. He pressed his head comfortingly against Crow’s forehead. “It’s okay now. You’re going to be fine.”

Crow shook his head, but didn’t pull away from Shinji’s touch. “No...” he whimpered, tears slipping out of his unnatural eyes. “I hurt so many people, Shinji, I hurt my f-friends and I hurt— I hurt you, Shinji, I— I don’t deserve—“

Shinji cut him off, pressing his lips against Crow’s. He could feel Crow’s tears against his face as they pressed together. When he closed his eyes, Shinji could almost pretend it was a normal kiss, the kind they’d exchanged many times before. Almost.

It was getting hard to ignore how cold every part of Crow was.

Shinji pulled away, giving Crow the most tender and reassuring smile he could manage in his panicked state. Crow stared at him, surprised at first, but quickly smiling back. He let himself fall forward into Shinji’s lap, not looking away for a second.

“T-thanks. I’m sorry.” Crow said shakily, reaching a hand up slowly to Shinji’s face. “I love you, Shinji. I love you.”

Before his hand reached Shinji’s face, Crow was gone.

* * *

“Hey Shinji, want a kiss?” Crow asked, leaning against the doorframe. He was smiling playfully, and Shinji couldn’t stop his blush from spreading. The purple haired duelist was still fairly new to being in a relationship, and he was often flustered by Crow’s forwardness.

“S-sure?” Shinji stuttered out, embarrassed. He could tell from the glint in Crow’s eyes, however, that there was something else to it.

The shorter man closed the distance between them, planting himself right in front of Shinji. He looked up, smiling deviously as he played with one of his earrings absentmindedly.

“Well, I’ll give you a kiss...” Crow said, putting a hand on his chin, “...if you call me Crow-sama.”

Shinji couldn’t get any redder if he tried. He just stared at Crow for a moment, wide-eyed and speechless. It didn’t take long for him to give in; he looked off to the side, avoiding Crow’s gaze.

“Please... kiss me... C-Crow-sama.” He said, quiet but clearly audible. Crow’s grin widened, and he leaned forward and gave Shinji a quick kiss on the lips. He pulled away and spun on his heel, facing the doorway he had come in.

“Told ya!” Crow shouted, laughter in his voice. Shinji was confused; when Tony and Damon stepped out from around the corner, he only got more confused and slightly mortified.

Crow sauntered over to them. “Five bucks from both of you! Hand it over!” Crow gloated, collecting money from their friends. Unable to figure it out, Shinji finally spoke up.

“Um...?” Shinji asked tentatively, not knowing what else to say. Crow turned back to him, eyes shining in the wake of his victory.

“Oh, yeah. I bet Tony and Damon that I could get you to call me Crow-sama in exchange for a kiss. Easy win, if you ask me.” Crow gloated, walking back over to sling an arm around a very embarrassed Shinji.

Damon shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “Didn’t think you’d do it, man. I underestimated you, I guess.” Tony nodded in agreement, but both were smiling in amusement.

“Oh my god.” Shinji muttered, hiding his face in his hands. Crow just laughed and patted him on the back, thanking him.


	12. Needle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> very short one !

“Happy anniversary!” Crow exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around Shinji’s neck to give him a kiss. Shinji blushed, bashful; it was only their first anniversary of dating, but they had been friends for many years prior. It felt as though they had been dating for much longer.

“Happy anniversary to you too.” Shinji replied warmly, stepping into the house. He took off his coat and hung it by the door, pulling a poorly wrapped lump from the pocket. He presented it to Crow with a nervous grin. “For you. Um, it’s nothing all that special, but I hope you like it… And sorry about the wrapping. I’m no good at it, apparently.”

Crow blinked in surprise before accepting the offered gift. He unwrapped it gently, taking care not to rip the paper. His mouth gaped open as he fully exposed the gift.

“Shinji… Holy shit.” Crow whispered. In his hands was a small doll of Gale the Whirlwind. The crochet work was intricate and beautiful, and the yarn was vividly colored. It had the same wide-eyed, cute expression Gale always had. Crow couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he looked back to Shinji.

“‘Nothing special’ my ass! Shinji, this is amazing! Did you make this?” Crow asked excitedly, still inspecting all the details of the doll. 

Shinji laughed, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, I did. I like making stuff, like embroidery and crocheting, y’know? I still need some more practice, though…” Despite his modesty he was smiling, clearly happy that Crow had liked his gift.

“Shinji, this is, no joke, the coolest. Like, the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.  _ Ever. _ ” Crow was awestruck, staring up at Shinji with stars in his eyes. Shinji only got redder, looking away.

“R-really? I’m glad you like it so much.” Shinji chuckled, smiling. Crow leaned up to give him another kiss on the cheek.

“Now it’s time for your present!” Crow said, winking. “Ask me where it is!” 

Shinji cocked his head, a puzzled but amused look on his face. “Where is it?” he asked, not sure what to expect.

Crow leaned in close. “I’m wearing it.” he whispered deviously. “Don’t you wanna go unwrap it?” 

By the time they got to the bedroom, Shinji had already gotten Crow’s jacket and gloves off.


	13. Midnight

Ever since Crow had come home, Shinji had been acting… strange. Had Crow not been as perceptive as he was, he might not have caught it; the way Shinji would break eye contact, the way he would trail off, the sad look in his eyes. This persisted long past their little chat about Shinji’s revolution, so Crow knew he’d have to bring it up sooner or later. 

Tonight seemed as good a night as any. As Crow pulled the loose t-shirt over his head, he pondered the best way to go about it. Shinji could be, well, difficult when it came to talking about feelings. One wrong word and he’d shut up like a clam. Lucky for Crow, he usually had a way with words when it came to his boyfriend.

Behind him, the bed creaked quietly. He glanced in the mirror in front of him to see Shinji’s back as he sat on the edge of the bed. As per usual, he was only in his boxers; Shinji insisted it was the only way he could sleep. He was quiet tonight, but it wasn’t unlike his demeanor these last few months. Crow was so lost in thought that he nearly jumped when Shinji spoke.

“Hey,” Shinji said softly, still facing the wall, “Can we talk?” Crow was slightly unnerved by not being able to see his face, but he agreed.

“Yeah, always.” Crow moved over to the bed, sitting with his back propped up against the headboard. He turned towards Shinji, hoping the man would turn to face him. “What’s up?”

Shinji was quiet for a moment, before he flopped backwards across the bed. His eyes were closed, and he looked unbelievably tired. “So… Were we just never going to talk about it?” he sighed.

Crow blinked, slightly annoyed by Shinji’s beating around the bush. “What’s “it”?” Crow asked, watching Shinji’s face carefully.

Shinji’s eyes opened, and he turned his head to look at Crow. “The carding, Crow.”

Crow stiffened, his mouth going dry. “You... know about that?” he asked quietly, barely a whisper. He really didn’t want to talk about this right now.

“Yeah.” Shinji replied, not breaking eye contact for once. “I saw the whole duel against Zarc, everyone did. The way they acted when you showed up, seemingly out of nowhere… it wasn’t too hard to piece together.” When Crow didn’t say anything in response, Shinji continued.

“I, uh, wanted to wait for you to bring it up. But I can tell that you didn’t have any plans to.” Shinji paused, for a moment, and before he could keep going, Crow broke in.

“Why should I?” Crow asked coldly, a bit more angry than he intended. “It happened, and it fucking sucked, but it’s over. I’m back. You’ll have to excuse me for not wanting to dredge it back up.”

The bitterness in Crow’s tone didn’t go unnoticed by Shinji. “I wanted to talk about it,” Shinji started, pulling himself to a sitting position next to Crow, “because it’s clearly still eating you up.”

Crow scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Me?” he asked incredulously, “If anything, it’s eating  _ you _ up, dude. You’re the one who’s been acting weird ever since I came back.” 

Shinji looked at him with concern. “You really didn’t notice? Crow, I’ve been  _ worried _ about you. You— You’re just—“ He stopped, trying to sort out his thoughts. “Things are so different now. You used to love dueling so much… Now you barely even touch your cards. I know dueling isn’t anyone’s priority right now, but it’s—I don’t know, it’s like you’re  _ afraid _ of it.”

Crow’s answer was automatic, beginning without a thought. “I’m not—“ he stopped, taking a second to actually think about it. Of course he wasn’t afraid of dueling, that was preposterous; dueling was fun, right? The thought of dueling definitely didn’t seem fun to Crow. It turned his stomach and made his skin crawl. 

Thinking back, Crow realized that his time away may have changed him more than he originally thought. He had been a lot more jumpy lately, getting startled every time one of his kids brushed behind him in the kitchen or Shinji tapped his shoulder. He had woken up in cold sweats from nightmares more than once; there was no way Shinji hadn’t noticed, as they shared a bed. And the thought of dueling never even crossed Crow’s mind as something he wanted to do anymore.

Shinji had scooted closer, gently gripping one of Crow’s hands with his own. “I won’t force you to talk about it, Crow. Won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But… I’m always here, okay? If you decide you want to talk about it. I’ll always be ready to listen.” He gave Crow’s hand a squeeze, leaning against his shoulder. 

Crow sighed, pulling his knees up. “It was just… it was scary, I guess. I’m not really sure. I mean, I really thought, well, y’know…” Crow bit his lip. “I was sure I was gonna die. And I didn’t think I’d come back.” He pushed the blanket with his foot absentmindedly. “Sorry for worrying you, Shinji. I didn’t really realize.”

Shinji wrapped his arms around Crow, pulling him into his warm embrace. “It’s alright, Crow. No need to apologize, that’s scary shit. But you’ve got me, and the kids, and all the new friends you’ve made, and none of us will ever let someone do that shit to you again. The worst thing you should have to worry about is how Frank tried to fake his last report card.”

“He did?” Crow asked with wide eyes. “God, I really am out of it. I gave him ice cream and everything.”

Shinji laughed. “Yep. Did a pretty messy job though, so I called him on it. I gave him a lecture on integrity and everything too. Wasn’t really going to tell you, since he promised not to do it again. Oops.” 

Crow glared at his partner with false severity. “I’m gonna sit him down tomorrow.”

“Cut the kid a break, Crow!” Shinji snorted, grinning. His laid back attitude was infectious, and Crow felt more at ease than he had been in a while. “He doesn’t need two lectures.”

“Fine,” Crow grumbled, sticking out his tongue. “I’m not gonna let any of them squander this chance, though. They finally get to go to school, they’re sure as hell not gonna fail out.”

“I know, dear,” Shinji replied with a warm smile. He laid down, pulling the covers back for Crow. “It’s like, midnight, let’s go to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open.”

Crow smiled back, rearranging himself and laying his head against Shinji’s chest. Shinji pulled the blanket over both of them, drawing Crow close. “Thanks, Shinji.” Crow whispered, feeling safer and happier in that moment than he had in months. “Do you… do you think we could, uh… try dueling tomorrow, maybe?”

Shinji leaned forward and gave Crow a kiss on the forehead. “Sure, sounds great. Maybe we can give Tanner the lesson he keeps asking for, too.” Crow hummed in agreement, and both drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
